Favorites Location broken by Earthlink

[David Lipetz]

I am using XP Pro and IE6. Everything was great until I installed Eartlink
software. Their software made changes whereby they store Favorites in an
alternate location in Program Files rather than within the Favorites folder
located in C:\Documents and Settings\username.computername\Favorites

Now that I'm done with Earthlink, I uninstalled their software and now IE is
looking for Favorites in c:\windows\favorites, not the correct location
noted above.

I used regedit to identify all keys that pointed to either the old Earthlink
directory or the c:\windows\favorites directory. Well, at least one key WILL
NOT remain changed and remains pointed at c:\windows\favorites. This key is:
My
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explore
r\Shell Folders\Favorites

When I change this key to C:\Documents and
Settings\username.computername\Favorites it reverts back to
c:\windows\favorites when I close and then re-open regedit.

I am the sole user and the administrator so permissions should not be an
issue.

This is so frustrating. I can't believe Eartlink would change the location
of Favorites and not restore upon uninstall.

Ideas?

Thanks,
David

 

[David Lipetz]

Some more information to help clarify this problem:

The registry values do accept the change and remain ok until I run IE6. At
that time, the registry entries revert to c:\windows\favorites.

Also, there is one other key that changes to c:\windows\favorites (this key
should be %USERPROFILE%\Favorites)

My
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explore
r\UsSer Shell Folders\Favorites


So, there are two keys that keep changing to c:\windows\favorites every time
I launch IE.

 

[Tom]

Hi David,

EarthLink customizes IE - that's what is contributing to
your problem - i.e. those modifications have to be rolled
back to what they were prior to your initial installation
of the EarthLink software. This is why its always a good
idea to take backups of things like the reistry, and
software you've become accustomed to. When you install new
software you take the risk that it may not follow strict
or high standards of having little or no impact such as
you are experiencing, and with good backups its easy to
get things back to the way they were.

Having to muck around in the registry is almost always not
the way to go unless its a last resort. In this case, it
sounds like just restoring the registry is not enough to
get you what you want because IE keeps wacking you back -
due to the custom mods put in by EL.

I'll look on their website to see if they give any advice
about how to role back or thoroughly uninstall their IE
software and post what I find out here.

Ciao,

-- Tom

-----Original Message-----
Some more information to help clarify this problem:

The registry values do accept the change and remain ok until I run IE6. At
that time, the registry entries revert to c:\windows\favorites.

Also, there is one other key that changes to c:\windows\favorites (this key
should be %USERPROFILE%\Favorites)

My
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Explore
r\UsSer Shell Folders\Favorites


So, there are two keys that keep changing to

c:\windows\favorites every time

 

[Tom]

Hi David,

Searching EL for "Internet Explorer" it finds 234 hits,
but their SW only allows the user to see the top 100.
There were a couple of articles, one about removing the EL
icon from the title and the other how to remove IE 5 when
its not in the add/remove list. I seem to remember that
there is an article about how to remove TA 2003 manually,
and if you think that would help you to check yourself
with the registry items - post your request here and I'll
send it to you.

Ciao,

-- Tom

-----Original Message-----
Some more information to help clarify this problem:

The registry values do accept the change and remain ok until I run IE6. At
that time, the registry entries revert to c:\windows\favorites.

Also, there is one other key that changes to c:\windows\favorites (this key
should be %USERPROFILE%\Favorites)

My
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Explore
r\UsSer Shell Folders\Favorites


So, there are two keys that keep changing to

c:\windows\favorites every time

 

[DavidLipetz]

Thanks Tom!

Any info you can provide to help remove Total Access 2003 would be GREATLY
appreciated.

Really irks me that EarthLink would provide software which makes extensive
mods w/o warning.

Plus, their uninstall is broken. I can't even remove the damn software
automatically, yet alone return IE to normalcy.

What a bad joke! Why can't they follow standard protocols for software
installation.

Thanks again!
David